There is disquiet with the National Police Service following fresh orders that were issued by Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai on how officers should conduct themselves.

Officers who have spoken to Nairobi News in confidence said that the orders issue last week in order to control crime linked to police officers are not practical.

FIREARMS

Top of Mr Mutyambai’s orders is that all officers should be in uniform – this he said include officers who are attending court cases.

The new orders will also require all officers who are off duty to surrender their firearms at their respective places of work.

In the recent past, the country has witnessed an upsurge in crime planned and executed by rogue officers within the service.

But some officers have argued that one of the biggest contributors to the increase of crime linked to officers is letting officers live away from the camps.

HOUSE ALLOWANCE

“It’s high time the government realized that the move to allow officers live with members of the public was a not well defined. If officers live within the camps they are easily monitored,” said one officer.

“It used to be hard to leave the station camp without the knowledge of your immediate supervisor,” he added.

Another officer said the government should consider paying officers well.

He blamed the government of only allowing officers to live with members of the public, without commensurate house allowances.

This, he said has also contributed to cases of officers being involved in crime.

UNARMED

The officer also said that the call by Mutyambai to officers surrender their firearms when off duty is not practical in every region within the country.

“The IG should be aware that an officer who is stationed in North Eastern, where there is a heavy presence of militant groups, cannot feel safe if they are not armed. I just can’t sleep in Garissa without a gun, hapo itakuwa ngumu,” he said.

He also said that the IG should also hold various barazas with officers to find out what challenges they are facing, instead of just making decision.

“We should be part of this decision-making process. You cannot tell me to leave my gun at the station yet when there is an emergency in the community I have been forced to live in, I’m supposed to help Kenyans,” he stated.